Auld Spells: Everything You Want
(Self-released)
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Out Now
Edinburgh-based Auld Spells finally return to the recording studio after a hiatus of over two years and release their new EP, Everything You Want. In common with previous releases, it’s a collection of songs which showcases their very own brand of dream pop, blending chiming guitars, hazy synths, dreamy harmonic vocals, and layered and ethereal tones.
The first embers of Auld Spells were ignited by a chance meeting between Thomas Danbury (vocals, guitar, keys) and Rob Fellman (keys and piano) at a house in south Edinburgh that once operated as Palladium Studios, where several early and seminal 4AD recordings took place. The eclectic brand of artists that graced that label and who first recorded in those studios provided further inspiration for all that was to follow. All of this, forged with a shared devotion to Scottish independent music from the 1980s and early 1990s, together with Scotland’s atmosphere, landscape, and history became central to the sound and identity of the musical venture that was to become Auld Spells.
Of course they needed some help and, over the coming months, they managed to recruit band members through various different avenues, with drummer Peter Wilson answering an advert they placed in a local record shop, bassist Nikoletta Louca, originally from Cyprus, being approached after attending a local show, second guitarist Jamie Hunter, an old friend of Peter’s, being asked to join after they finally found him busking locally, and vocalist Sandy Spanikova, from Slovakia, completing the lineup after stepping onstage at an early show and taking the microphone.
As for the name of the band, they explain this as follows, “The name Auld Spells nods to Edinburgh’s nickname Auld Reekie and to Scotland’s darker folklore and history, pointing to how landscape and memory feed into the band’s sense of tone and character.” Taking this together with the differing backgrounds of the band members goes a long way to explaining their wide-ranging and eclectic sounds which have already filtered through their early releases. From the 60’s girl group inspired wall of sound of I Want You Back, through the more ethereal, dreamy and brooding soundscapes of Sweet Disease, to their raging and impassioned single Suffer On TV, coming with a much harder reverb-laced rock’n’roll edge, Auld Spells have been building an impressive catalogue of songs. And there is little doubt that their new EP, coming over two years since their last release, now adds further depth to their overall sound and vision for the future.
Opening song Anything You Want immediately dances with brightly coloured rhythms overlaid with an outpouring of melody which is focused very much on Sandy’s lush yet intimate vocal style and the uplifting vocal harmonies, accentuating the sense of infatuation that runs through the song’s narrative. The spirit of Johnny Marr looms large as the jangly guitar gives it a distinctly Smith’s style vibe.
What You Want has a much darker and sombre edge which is fed by Thomas’s somewhat mournful baritone vocal and the much slower rolling psychedelic rhythm which draws strong inspiration from the likes of The Brian Jonestown Massacre. The hypnotic, slightly unhinged guitar solos and ethereal and trance-like vocal harmonies that drift in an out merely add to the emotional depth that surround the strong sense of resentment that is conveyed throughout the song.
When The Waves Break opens with Rob’s hypnotic synth which immediately creates an atmospheric dreamlike state which sets the perfect sonic pathway to lead into Sandy’s beautiful and heartfelt vocals. They have the aural spectre of the likes of Weyes Blood, setting the mood for what feels like a longing for a long distance loved one. Thomas’ tremolo guitar refrain adds further emotional depth as it rises towards a soaring climax leaving you with a real sense of uncertainty as to the final outcome, closing with the line, “swim cause there’s no tomorrow.”
Final song The Moon takes one of the band’s older songs and channels a real sense of yearning for a lost love one, all wrapped up in a soundtrack which emulates the lush romantic orchestral pop of the likes of Richard Hawley. The steady rhythm, flowing synth and soothing vocal harmonies defer back to the sound of 60s style guitar-based pop ballads but now re-imagined into the 21st century with otherworldly atmospherics.
Everything You Want is a collection of songs which set a new template for Auld Spells to take their own unique eclectic brand of dreamy pop into new and un-chartered waters. It showcases their moody and immersive songwriting style underpinned with a blend of chiming guitars, hazy synths, dreamy harmonic vocals, and layered and ethereal tones. Having written a whole bunch of new songs, Auld Spells are now in the process of finishing up a few more tunes and have plans to head into the studio this summer, and hopefully tour sometime in 2026.
You can buy or stream the EP here or here.
You can find Auld Spells on Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp and their website.
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All words by Ian Corbridge. You can find more of his writing at his author profile here.
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